Structural models in consumer credit

We propose a structural credit risk model for consumer lending using option theory and the concept of the value of the consumer’s reputation. Using Brazilian empirical data and a credit bureau score as proxy for creditworthiness we compare a number of alternative models before suggesting one that leads to a simple analytical solution for the probability of default. We apply the proposed model to portfolios of consumer loans introducing a factor to account for the mean influence of systemic economic factors on individuals. This results in a hybrid structural-reduced-form model. And comparisons are made with the Basel II approach. Our conclusions partially support that approach for modelling the credit risk of portfolios of retail credit.     

On the simulation of portfolios of interest rate and credit risk sensitive securities

We discuss extensions of reduced-form and structural models for pricing credit risky securities to portfolio simulation and valuation. Stochasticity in interest rates and credit spreads is captured via reduced-form models and is incorporated with a default and migration model based on the structural credit risk modelling approach. Calculated prices are consistent with observed prices and the term structure of default-free and defaultable interest rates. Three applications are discussed: (i) study of the inter-temporal price sensitivity of credit bonds and the sensitivity of future portfolio valuation with respect to changes in interest rates, default probabilities, recovery rates and rating migration, (ii) study of the structure of credit risk by investigating the impact of disparate risk factors on portfolio risk, and (iii) tracking of corporate bond indices via simulation and optimisation models. In particular, we study the effect of uncertainty in credit spreads and interest rates on the overall risk of a credit portfolio, a topic that has been recently discussed by Kiesel et al. [The structure of credit risk: spread volatility and ratings transitions. Technical report, Bank of England, ISSN 1268-5562, 2001], but has been otherwise mostly neglected. We find that spread risk and interest rate risk are important factors that do not diversify away in a large portfolio context, especially when high-quality instruments are considered.     

Modelling credit risk with scarce default data: on the suitability of cooperative bootstrapped strategies for small low-default portfolios

Credit risk models are commonly based on large internal data sets to produce reliable estimates of the probability of default (PD) that should be validated with time. However, in the real world, a substantial portion of the exposures is included in low-default portfolios (LDPs) in which the number of defaulted loans is usually much lower than the number of non-default observations. Modelling of these imbalanced data sets is particularly problematic with small portfolios in which the absence of information increases the specification error. Sovereigns, banks, or specialised retail exposures are recent examples of post-crisis portfolios with insufficient data for PD estimates, which require specific tools for risk quantification and validation. This paper explores the suitability of cooperative strategies for managing such scarce LDPs. In addition to the use of statistical and machine-learning classifiers, this paper explores the suitability of cooperative models and bootstrapping strategies for default prediction and multi-grade PD setting using two real-world credit consumer data sets. The performance is assessed in terms of out-of-sample and out-of-time discriminatory power, PD calibration, and stability. The results indicate that combinational approaches based on correlation-adjusted strategies are promising techniques for managing sparse LDPs and providing accurate and well-calibrated credit risk estimates.     

How to measure single-name credit risk concentrations

Credit risk concentration is one of the leading topics in modern finance, as the bank regulation has made increasing use of external and internal credit ratings. Concentration risk in credit portfolios comes into being through an uneven distribution of bank loans to individual borrowers (single-name concentration) or in a hierarchical dimension such as in industry and services sectors and geographical regions (sectorial concentration).     

基于信用利差与Logistic回归的公司违约概率测算模型与实证研究

用Logistic模型计算公司违约概率在实际应用中存在两个问题:一是在缺乏公司违约记录数据库或违约记录数据库不典型的情况下,无法应用该模型或模型计算结果不准确;二是现有Logistic违约概率模型忽视了不同行业财务指标分布特征的差异性,导致公司违约概率计算结果的准确性降低。针对问题一,本文通过公司债券信用利差计算市场隐含的公司违约概率,在Logistic变换的基础上进一步确定Logistic线性回归的参数,使得公司违约概率的计算结果符合债券市场的实际状况。针对问题二,通过不同行业关键财务指标的单因子方差分析,证实了行业间财务指标的分布特征具有显著性差异,通过拟合优度证实了区分行业建立Logistic违约概率模型可显著提高违约概率测算的准确性。本文Logistic违约概率模型的构建过程如下:通过初选财务指标的相关性分析,删除反映信息重复的财务指标;通过Logistic回归中财务指标系数的显著性检验,删除对违约概率解释能力弱的财务指标;以Logistic回归的拟合优度为标准,选取各样本行业Logistic违约概率模型的关键财务指标,建立了机械设备等5个样本行业的Logistic违约概率模型,为样本内行业公司违约概率的准确测算提供模型与方法。本文的创新与特色:一是在无套利条件下,通过公司债券信用利差计算市场隐含的公司违约概率,并对其进行Logistic变换,作为Logistic线性回归的被解释变量,解决了在缺乏公司违约记录数据情况下Logistic违约概率模型的参数估计问题;二是通过单因子方差分析方法,证实了行业间财务指标的分布特征具有显著性差异,说明应区分行业建立Logistic违约概率模型;三是通过财务指标间的相关分析删除反映信息重复的财务指标,通过财务指标系数的显著性检验删除对公司违约概率解释能力弱的财务指标,保证了Logistic违约概率模型中关键财务指标选取的合理性;四是实证研究结果表明,不同行业的Logistic违约概率模型的关键财务指标不同,同一财务指标的参数也存在显著差异。实证研究结果还表明,区分行业建立Logistic违约概率模型与不区分行业相比,前者可将拟合优度及调整后的拟合优度提高近1倍。本文研究结果对于提高公司违约概率测算的准确性具有重要参考意义,对于商业银行贷款定价、公司债券发行定价、银行信用风险管理具有重要参考意义。     

Intensity models and transition probabilities for credit card loan delinquencies

We estimate the probability of delinquency and default for a sample of credit card loans using intensity models, via semi-parametric multiplicative hazard models with time-varying covariates. It is the first time these models, previously applied for the estimation of rating transitions, are used on retail loans. Four states are defined in this non-homogenous Markov chain: up-to-date, one month in arrears, two months in arrears, and default; where transitions between states are affected by individual characteristics of the debtor at application and their repayment behaviour since. These intensity estimations allow for insights into the factors that affect movements towards (and recovery from) delinquency, and into default (or not). Results indicate that different types of debtors behave differently while in different states. The probabilities estimated for each type of transition are then used to make out-of-sample predictions over a specified period of time.     

基于NS族模型的中国公司债信用利差预测

本文以中国公司债为研究对象, 基于NS族模型研究了信用利差的预测问题。通过对不同期限、不同信用评级公司债信用利差的样本内外预测效果进行实证比较, 得到主要结论如下:(1)模型对中长期公司债信用利差的预测误差低于短期公司债。(2)不同信用评级公司债信用利差的预测效果受剩余到期期限的影响:1年期的AAA级公司债的预测误差低于AA+和AA级公司债; 5年期的AA+级公司债的预测误差低于AAA和AA级公司债; 10年期的AA级公司债的预测误差低于AAA和AA+级公司债。成果为各经济主体预测信用利差提供了具体思路和方法, 有利于做出合理的金融决策。     

Effects of missing data in credit risk scoring. A comparative analysis of methods to achieve robustness in the absence of sufficient data

The 2004 Basel II Accord has pointed out the benefits of credit risk management through internal models using internal data to estimate risk components: probability of default (PD), loss given default, exposure at default and maturity. Internal data are the primary data source for PD estimates; banks are permitted to use statistical default prediction models to estimate the borrowers’ PD, subject to some requirements concerning accuracy, completeness and appropriateness of data. However, in practice, internal records are usually incomplete or do not contain adequate history to estimate the PD. Current missing data are critical with regard to low default portfolios, characterised by inadequate default records, making it difficult to design statistically significant prediction models. Several methods might be used to deal with missing data such as list-wise deletion, application-specific list-wise deletion, substitution techniques or imputation models (simple and multiple variants). List-wise deletion is an easy-to-use method widely applied by social scientists, but it loses substantial data and reduces the diversity of information resulting in a bias in the model's parameters, results and inferences. The choice of the best method to solve the missing data problem largely depends on the nature of missing values (MCAR, MAR and MNAR processes) but there is a lack of empirical analysis about their effect on credit risk that limits the validity of resulting models. In this paper, we analyse the nature and effects of missing data in credit risk modelling (MCAR, MAR and NMAR processes) and take into account current scarce data set on consumer borrowers, which include different percents and distributions of missing data. The findings are used to analyse the performance of several methods for dealing with missing data such as likewise deletion, simple imputation methods, MLE models and advanced multiple imputation (MI) alternatives based on MarkovChain-MonteCarlo and re-sampling methods. Results are evaluated and discussed between models in terms of robustness, accuracy and complexity. In particular, MI models are found to provide very valuable solutions with regard to credit risk missing data.     

Risk factor analysis and portfolio immunization in the corporate bond market

In this paper we develop a multi-factor model for the yields of corporate bonds. The model allows the analysis of factors which influence the changes in the term structure of corporate bonds. More than 98% of the variability in the corporate bond market is captured by the model, which is then used to develop credit risk immunization strategies for corporate bonds of multiple credit ratings. Empirical results are given for the US market using data for the period 1992–1999.     

Comparison results for exchangeable credit risk portfolios

This paper is dedicated to risk analysis of credit portfolios. Assuming that default indicators form an exchangeable sequence of Bernoulli random variables and as a consequence of de Finetti’s theorem, default indicators are Binomial mixtures. We can characterize the supermodular order between two exchangeable Bernoulli random vectors in terms of the convex ordering of their corresponding mixture distributions. Thus we can proceed to some comparisons between stop-loss premiums, CDO tranche premiums and convex risk measures on aggregate losses. This methodology provides a unified analysis of dependence for a number of CDO pricing models based on factor copulas, multivariate Poisson and structural approaches.     

债券违约是否存在区域传染？——基于中国债券市场融资成本视角

2018年以来中国债券市场违约规模攀升,累计违约金额超2900亿元。债券违约后的负面影响受到投资者、发行人乃至监管部门关注。本文以北京、上海、辽宁等八个辖区为例,选取2016~2019年债券违约及债券发行数据,通过构建违约事件对债券发行价格影响因素模型,分析了债券违约的区域传染效应。研究发现:债券违约引发的信用风险存在区域传染性,主要体现为债券发行前若发行人所属辖区存在违约事件将推升债券融资成本;区域内的传染效应与违约时间距离负相关,当时间距离增长时,传染效应变弱,甚至消失;债券违约风险对不同性质企业的传染效应不同,民营企业受影响尤为显著。     

Modeling dependencies between rating categories and their effects on prediction in a credit risk portfolio

The internal‐rating‐based Basel II approach increases the need for the development of more realistic default probability models. In this paper, we follow the approach taken in McNeil A and Wendin J 7 (J. Empirical Finance 2007) by constructing generalized linear mixed models for estimating default probabilities from annual data on companies with different credit ratings. The models considered, in contrast to McNeil A and Wendin J 7 (J. Empirical Finance 2007), allow parsimonious parametric models to capture simultaneously dependencies of the default probabilities on time and credit ratings. Macro‐economic variables can also be included. Estimation of all model parameters are facilitated with a Bayesian approach using Markov chain Monte Carlo methods. Special emphasis is given to the investigation of predictive capabilities of the models considered. In particular, predictable model specifications are used. The empirical study using default data from Standard and Poor's gives evidence that the correlation between credit ratings further apart decreases and is higher than the one induced by the autoregressive time dynamics. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

On the parameterization of the CreditRisk model for estimating credit portfolio risk

The CreditRisk⁺ model is one of the industry standards for estimating the credit default risk for a portfolio of credit loans. The natural parameterization of this model requires the default probability to be apportioned using a number of (non-negative) factor loadings. However, in practice only default correlations are often available but not the factor loadings. In this paper we investigate how to deduce the factor loadings from a given set of default correlations. This is a novel approach and it requires the non-negative factorization of a positive semi-definite matrix which is by no means trivial. We also present a numerical optimization algorithm to achieve this.     

Importance sampling for integrated market and credit portfolio models

A sophisticated approach for computing the total economic capital needed for various stochastically dependent risk types is the bottom-up approach. In this approach, usually, market and credit risks of financial instruments are modeled simultaneously. As integrating market risk factors into standard credit portfolio models increases the computational burden of calculating risk measures, it is analyzed to which extent importance sampling techniques previously developed either for pure market portfolio models or for pure credit portfolio models can be successfully applied to integrated market and credit portfolio models. Specific problems which arise in this context are discussed. The effectiveness of these techniques is tested by numerical experiments for linear and non-linear portfolios.     

Credit spreads, endogenous bankruptcy and liquidity risk

In this paper, we consider a bond valuation model with both credit risk and liquidity risk to show that credit spreads are not negligible for short maturities. We adopt the structural approach to model credit risk, where the default triggering barrier is determined endogenously by maximizing equity value. As for liquidity risk, we assume that bondholders may encounter liquidity shocks during the lifetime of corporate bonds, and have to sell the bond immediately at the price, which is assumed to be a fraction of the price in a perfectly liquid market. Under this framework, we derive explicit expressions for corporate bond, firm value and bankruptcy trigger. Finally, numerical illustrations are presented.     

Credit rating prediction using Ant Colony Optimization

The introduction of the Basel II Capital Accord has encouraged financial institutions to build internal rating systems assessing the credit risk of their various credit portfolios. One of the key outputs of an internal rating system is the probability of default (PD), which reflects the likelihood that a counterparty will default on his/her financial obligation. Since the PD modelling problem basically boils down to a discrimination problem (defaulter or not), one may rely on the myriad of classification techniques that have been suggested in the literature. However, since the credit risk models will be subject to supervisory review and evaluation, they must be easy to understand and transparent. Hence, techniques such as neural networks or support vector machines are less suitable due to their black box nature. Building upon previous research, we will use AntMiner+ to build internal rating systems for credit risk. AntMiner+ allows to infer a propositional rule set from a given data set, hereby using the principles from Ant Colony Optimization. Experiments will be conducted using various types of credit data sets (retail, small- and medium-sized enterprises and banks). It will be shown that the extracted rule sets are both powerful in terms of discriminatory power and comprehensibility. Furthermore, a framework will be presented describing how AntMiner+ fits into a global Basel II credit risk management system.     

地方政府债券信用风险缓释工具定价研究

随着地方政府债券发行规模的扩大,地方政府债务的信用风险日益凸出。本研究以企业债信用风险缓释工具的推出为契机,借鉴结构化模型的思路和KMV模型求解违约概率的逻辑,通过Monte Carlo方法模拟地方政府的违约过程,直接测算地方政府的整体违约概率;结合简约化模型的思路测算地方政府债券的具体违约概率,计算信用风险缓释工具的理论价格,从而构建了地方政府债券信用风险缓释工具的混合定价模型。研究发现,以企业债券为标的测算出的模型理论价格与市场报价基本一致,参数的敏感性检验进一步验证了模型的理论自洽性和实证可靠性。上述结论或将为新《预算法》实施过程中地方政府债务的治理与掌控及中国区域性、系统性金融风险的防范提供新思路。     

Credit contagion in a network of firms with spatial interaction

This contribution studies the effects of credit contagion on the credit risk of a portfolio of bank loans. To this aim we introduce a model that takes into account the counterparty risk in a network of interdependent firms that describes the presence of business relations among different firms. The location of the firms is simulated with probabilities computed using an entropy spatial interaction model. By means of a wide simulation analysis we investigate the behavior of the model proposed and study the effects of default contagion on the loss distribution of a portfolio of bank loans.     

基于不均衡数据的小企业信用风险评价

小企业信用风险评价既是银行风险管理问题,又事关经济社会稳定。针对小企业贷款实践中,违约样本远少于非违约样本、且违约客户误判对银行影响较大的现实,采用不均衡支持向量机对小企业信用风险评价指标进行赋权,进而构建了能有效区分违约客户、非违约客户的评价模型。根据有无特定评价指标、特定评价指标数值变化对贷款小企业违约状态的影响程度赋权;反映了对违约状态影响越大、评价指标权重越大的赋权思路。将违约样本正确识别率、违约样本的准确率与查全率等因素作为支持向量机赋权模型中客户识别率的度量标准,改变了样本数据不均衡所导致的样本总体精度很高、违约样本精度反而不高的现象。研究结果表明:行业景气指数、资本固定化比率、净利润现金含量、恩格尔系数、营业利润率等评价指标对小企业信用风险的影响较大。     

成也萧何,败也萧何？——高管金融经历与公司债券融资

基于印记理论和高层梯队理论,本文以2008至2018年发行公司债券的上市公司为研究对象,考察高管金融经历对公司债券融资的影响机理。结果表明:首先,高管金融经历在提高公司债券发行成功率的同时也会增加债券融资成本和违约风险,而对发债规模与期限并不会产生显著影响,在控制可能的内生性问题后结论依然成立;其次,具有金融经历的高管所任职公司会通过盈余管理来提高债券发行成功率,但也会增加债券的融资成本和违约风险;最后,具有证券公司或商业银行工作经历的高管对公司债券融资的影响更为显著。本文有助于实务界和理论界理解高管异质性特征对公司债券融资的影响机制,为监管部门制定防范金融风险的政策提供可靠的理论依据。